Teen inventor plans to unveil hybrid engine

This kid needs a sponsor. If he can apply the same principles to larger vehicles, then it might be very helpful with these spiraling gas prices.

“With rising gas prices becoming a big concern, Santana High School senior Josh Wesolowski plans to unveil an invention he hopes will hold an answer to the energy riddle. The contraption, constructed from an old lawn-mower engine, is a “hybrid” engine that runs on four different types of fuel: gasoline, propane, methanol and hydrogen. “I built this engine to simply prove a point that it’s not difficult to run any engine on many different fuels,” Wesolowski said, noting that anything flammable can be burned in an internal combustion engine. Wesolowski has dubbed his creation the alternative-fuel engine. The machine is simplistic in appearance but performs a unique function – alternating between four very different fuel sources with the flip of a switch, all while the motor is running. Canisters mounted on each side supply the small engine with the fuels through homemade intakes, built with ordinary plumbing valves. The machine is started with unleaded gas, switched to run on methanol, propane and, finally, hydrogen before being shut off. Gas is used first because methanol, an alcoholic substance similar to ethanol, lacks the punch needed to heat the engine for a full ignition.” – Source